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Open Call by Freewaves

OUT THE WINDOW About/By/In Los Angeles

What do you know about Los Angeles? Want to share your knowledge on Transit TV?

Submission deadline December 12, 2011.

Freewaves is seeking 2-minute student produced videos about places in Los Angeles to show to 1 million riders per day on 2,000 L.A. County Metro buses in January 2012. Videos may be animations, documentaries, narratives and experimental videos about, by and in Los Angeles. We invite you to share your impressions, offer information and insights, and present issues relating to LA. Taken together we hope to create a mosaic of our complex city.

The project aims to enrich the bus environment for riders through media offerings that coax them to explore what exists OUT THE WINDOW.

Our first successful rotation of the project happened in June. The second in October & November. To see examples of the work, visit out-the-window.org/videos.

Background

OUT THE WINDOW is a multi-phase project. The first phase presented videos made by L.A. youth with Echo Park Film Center and Public Matters. UCLA REMAP produced the technical interface. The second phase featured videos by artists. A Youtube video explains the project:

How does it work?

Selected videos will be
….presented on Transit TV screens inside LA Metro buses (2 screens per bus)
….presented on our blog: www.out-the-window.org/blog  and our vimeo channel: www.vimeo.com/outthewindow
….appear on all 2,000 buses simultaneously, countywide
….followed by a question from the mediamaker that bus riders can answer via text, and will then appear on our blog

How to apply

Fill in entry form

Send us a URL on your entry form OR a DVD to:
Freewaves
6522  Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90028

We will accept preview videos of any length and will ask that final selections be 2 minutes long. Application materials will not be returned. Students of all ages are eligible to apply.

IMPORTANT DATES

Due date: December 12, 2011
Notice of Acceptance: December 19, 2011
Screenings: January-February 2012

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

  • The bus. RIDE THE BUS BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR VIDEO.  The bus is a specific and challenging environment and you should be familiar with the conditions and audience before you make or select your video.
  • Audience. Riders include more people of color and more low income Angelenos. Demographics are linked at http://www.transitv.com. See Los Angeles under “Markets.”
  • Visuals. In a mobile environment with competing sounds, strong visuals are key. If dialogue must be included, write text titles so the dialogue is readable. Titles should be LARGE.  Use a sans-serif, 85-point font or larger.
  • Original content.  No copyrighted material (music, etc)
  • Prohibited content.  Transit TV prohibits nudity, sex, violence, alcohol, tobacco and weapons in its programming.
  • Context.  Accepted videos will be included in the context of Transit TV’s regular program of news, ads and quizzes.
  • Interactivity. Freewaves will ask bus riders to text us in response to a question posed at the end of each video. Questions can be philosophical, ask about specific LA locations, or seek riders’ opinions, values, or imaginings.

SPECS

  • TV screen is only 19" diagonal
  • Save your file in Quicktime
  • Save at its original size but no larger than 1280 x 720 pixels.  No smaller than 720 x 480p.
  • Use H.264  compression codex
  • Your video should be 2 minutes exactly.  Do not include credits EXCEPT your name and video title at the opening of the piece. We will post your full credits on the Freewaves and Out the Window websites, and on our Vimeochannel. (credits will be illegible on the bus screen). For name and title, use a sans-serif 85-point font). Videos will be presented with the“Out the Window” opening header and close with a question (see Important Considerations above), then the project credits.

 

Click here to fill out the ENTRY FORM